Great Zimbabwe is considered to be an enormous wrecked town that is encircled with the wall made of stones. The ancient mystery is situated in the southern Africa. The wall around the Great Zimbabwe was built then the complex itself and has differences in style and techniques (Sayre, 2015, p. 390). The ancient complex holds a lot of secrets proving that the modern mankind with all the technical progress still does not know the real power of ancient people.
A Brief Characteristic of Great Zimbabwe
According to the translation of the word, ‘Zimbabwe’ means home or grave (Grimbly, 2013, p. 50). The Great Zimbabwe was the capital of the ancient empire Shona. Farmers settled down in the territory of the Great Zimbabwe in the 900 A. D. as there were perfect conditions to grow crops and have cattle (Grimbly, 2013, p. 50). The territory appeared to be one of the most significant trading points (Sayre, 2015, p. 390). Scientists have already developed some theories that explain what kind of society lived there, how they managed to erect such an impressive construction without the equipment, and why the site is abandoned now. Great Zimbabwe contributes to the cultural and historical context by providing the necessary information concerning the ancient epoch and people who erected such an impressive construction and how the architectural preferences changed overtime.
Who built Great Zimbabwe?
The walls are solid as their height is almost twice as big as the width. Due to the specific shape of stones they are easily connected. The great majority of the enigmatic construction is built of granite (Tucker, 2010, p. 100). According to Credo Mutwa, Great Zimbabwe was created by the multicultural and globalized society that was ruled by powerful kings, usually referred as the Lords of the World (Tucker, 2010, p. 100).
According to Tudor Parfitt, a lot of African tribes are sure that their ancestors built Great Zimbabwe; however, the Lemba tribe is viewed as those who actually could build the massive construction (Moyo, 2015, p. 14). The scholars have found the evidence that support such theory. The Lemba were traders they could have been responsible for building Great Zimbabwe as the inhabitants of Great Zimbabwe were talented traders. The African civilization was powerful and consisted of thousands of tribes; Great Zimbabwe is seen as the heart of the ancient African tribes (Moyo, 2015, p. 14).
The Function of the Complexes
Political and religious beliefs of the ancient people influenced the way Great Zimbabwe was built. The building comprises three major parts, namely Hill Complex, the Valley Complex, and the Great Enclosure (Tucker, 2010, p. 101). The scientists cannot find a common sense concerning the purpose of the architectural complexes. According to one of the most widespread theory, such groupings were erected for different kings that took the power. However, there is also an idea that such complexes were built to satisfy the needs of the society, as the Hill Complex resembles a temple, the Valley is believed to be the residence for the citizens, and the Great Enclosure could serve the needs of the king. This theory is reasonable, as the ancient society was highly developed and had all the features of the progressive community.
The Reason to Leave Great Zimbabwe
The reasons for people to leave the massive complex are considered to be the following: the lack of water sources, climate changes, and political issues. All the stated above reasons seem to be relevant, as climate conditions and political situation within the society could influence people in a significant way and force them to leave the territory.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be stated that all the secrets of the ancient enigma probably will never be discovered. The mystery around the site seems to be difficult for understanding. It should be stressed, that ancient people had way more developed skills and abilities than modern people think they did, as Great Zimbabwe will keep its history unknown forever.
References
Grimbly, S. (2013). Encyclopedia of the ancient world. London, U.K.: Routledge.
Moyo, F. (2015). The Bible, the bullet, and the ballot: Zimbabwe: The impact of Christian protest in socio-political transformation, ca. 1900-ca. 2000. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications.
Sayre, H. (2015). The humanities: Culture, continuity & change (3d ed., vol. 1). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Tucker, L. (2010). Mystery of the white lions: Children of the sun god. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.